Local residents in Paktia said heavy shelling forced civilians to flee their homes as Pakistani forces targeted villages near the border. (Photo: AFP)
Tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan have reached a boiling point once again. The Taliban government on Sunday claimed that Afghan forces killed 58 Pakistani soldiers and captured three border posts in a major overnight operation. The clashes reportedly broke out after Pakistan carried out airstrikes inside Afghan territory, escalating one of the most serious border confrontations in recent years.
According to Afghanistan’s state-run media RTA, Taliban-led forces captured three Pakistani military posts near Helmand province, killing dozens of Pakistani soldiers.
“If the opposing side again violates Afghanistan’s territorial integrity, our armed forces are fully prepared to defend the nation’s borders and will deliver a strong response,” said the Afghan Defence Ministry.
The Afghan military described the attacks as retaliation against Pakistani airstrikes that allegedly targeted Kabul on Friday. “In retaliation for air strikes carried out by the Pakistani army on Kabul,” Taliban forces are engaged “in heavy clashes against Pakistani security forces in various areas” along the border, the Afghan military said in a statement.
Pakistan has not officially confirmed conducting any airstrikes inside Afghanistan. However, Dawn newspaper quoted Pakistani security officials who said their forces “effectively targeted several Afghan border posts” and inflicted “notable damage” to militant positions.
Meanwhile, Islamabad accused the Taliban government of allowing Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants to operate from Afghan soil.
The Guardian quoted a Pakistani government official saying that Taliban forces opened fire at several border points. “We retaliated with artillery at four locations along the border,” the official was quoted as saying.
Reports from TOLOnews suggest that Taliban forces destroyed one Pakistani post each across the Durand Line in Kunar and Helmand provinces.
The clashes were reported in several areas, including Angoor Adda, Bajaur, Kurram, Dir, Chitral in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and Baramcha in Balochistan, as per The Express Tribune.
Local residents in Paktia said heavy shelling forced civilians to flee their homes as Pakistani forces targeted villages near the border.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the attacks and called them “unprovoked.”
“Firing by Afghan forces on the civilian population is a blatant violation of international laws. Pakistan’s brave forces have given a prompt and effective response that no provocation will be tolerated,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Officials from Kunar, Nangarhar, Paktika, Khost, and Helmand confirmed the ongoing clashes, suggesting the fighting has spread along multiple points on the Afghanistan–Pakistan border.
